This patent application is related to a contemporaneously filed application, having the same applicant, the same assignee and the same title with this patent application.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable end connector assembly, and more particularly to a cable end connector assembly having shielding means to prevent electromagnetic or radio frequency interference.
2. Description of Prior Art
Electrical connector assemblies are commonly used to connect external and internal peripheral devices to a computer for performing data transmission therebetween. These connector assemblies typically each employ a cable end connector assembly terminated with a transmission cable and a receptacle connector mounted on a printed circuit board of the computer and electrically connected with the cable end connector assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,487 (the ""487 patent) discloses a connector assembly with a cable end connector assembly and a receptacle connector. The cable end connector assembly includes a housing, a contact module disposed in the housing with a plurality of contacts retained therein, a shell partially received in the housing for eliminating electromagnetic interference of the contacts, and a cable with a distal end thereof electrically connecting to the contacts.
As is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 of the ""487 patent, each grounding contact has a tail portion 133 longer and larger than tail portions 133 of the other contacts for receiving a grounding shield 135 attached to the cable 137 thereby eliminating electromagnetic interference of the cable.
However, since the grounding contacts have configuration different from the other contacts, the manufacturing and assembling process of the cable end connector assembly is complicated comparing with connectors with the contacts having the same configuration, and the cost and time of manufacture and assemble increase.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,016 (the ""016 patent) discloses another cable end connector assembly 5. The assembly 5 includes a housing 6, a plurality of contacts 7 with the generally same configuration received in the housing 6, a first and a second shell 81, 82, and a cable 9 electrically connecting to the contacts 7. As is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the ""016 patent, the second shell 82 defines a front portion enclosing the housing and the contacts for eliminating electromagnetic interference of the contacts, a middle portion engaging with the first shell to enclosing the connection between the contacts and the cable for eliminating electromagnetic interference of the cable, and an elongated plate crimping to a jacket of the cable for strain relief. By this configuration, the contacts and the cable are both shielded. The assembly 5 needs two separate shells for shielding, thereby complicating the manufacturing and assembling process thereof and increasing the manufacture cost thereof.
Hence, a cable end connector assembly with effective shielding means and simple configuration is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
A major object of the present invention is to provide a structurally simplified cable end connector assembly having an effective shielding means.
In order to achieve the objects set forth, a cable end connector assembly includes a cable end connector and a cable. The cable end connector has an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the housing, and an integral shell removably attached to the housing. The cable has a plurality of wires respectively connecting to the contacts of the cable end connector and a shielding braid enclosing said wires. The shell includes a first shielding portion assembled to the housing, a second shielding portion partially enclosing the shielding braid, and a connecting portion connecting the first and second shielding portions.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.